The Minnesota Vikings will beat the San Francisco 49s in Week 12. Here are three reasons the purple and gold will win on Sunday, Nov. 28.
Week 12 has arrived and the Minnesota Vikings are hoping to get their third consecutive win and get to a 6-5 record on the season. That won’t be an easy task, since the team hits the road to take on the San Francisco 49ers this week.
The 49ers are a 5-5 team who have only won one game at home this year. It is more than possible for the Vikings to win on the road, especially since Minnesota fans seem to travel well and take over opposing stadiums.
A win over the 49ers could move the Vikings to two games behind the Packers in the NFC North if Green Bay loses to the Rams this week. Considering the frustrating way the season began, it is impressive how this team clawed back into the playoff picture quite well.
But, before looking too far ahead to the NFC North divisional race and the playoffs, the Minnesota Vikings need to focus on Week 12 and the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings should win this game, and here are three reasons Minnesota will come out ahead.
Minnesota will give up yards on the ground, but not big plays or touchdowns
The 49ers are a middle-of-the-road rushing team. They average 4.2 yards per carry, which is tied for sixteenth in the league. However, they are tied for the seventh-most rushing touchdowns this season with 12.
The good news for the Minnesota Vikings is that they have been good against the run near the goal line. They have only allowed eight rushing touchdowns this season, Plus, they have only allowed three rushes of 20+ yards and have yet to give up a run of 40 yards or more.
Much of this can be attributed to good tackling. Players like Eric Kendricks and Harrison Smith don’t make a lot of mistakes against the run that result in big gains for opponents. Mike Zimmer preaches the fundamentals and the importance of having his players in the correct position.
Minnesota’s effectiveness in containing the run will force the 49ers to attack through the air, where Jimmy Garoppolo has only thrown 12 total touchdowns on the season compared to five interceptions.
The Vikings will win the takeaway battle
One of the best ways to win a football game is to take the ball away from your opponent through fumbles or interceptions while taking good care of the football and not turning the ball over to your opponent.
Minnesota has eight interceptions and four fumble recoveries, giving them 12 takeaways on the season. The Vikings have only turned the ball over six times, two coming from interceptions and four from fumbles. That gives them a +6 turnover differential.
Meanwhile, the 49ers have four interceptions and five fumble recoveries for nine takeaways. Compare that to their six interceptions and eight fumbles, which gives them a -5 turnover differential this year.
Clearly, the Minnesota Vikings take better care of the football and are always looking for takeaways. They will most likely win the turnover battle, giving them a great chance for a win on Sunday.
Play action will rule the day
Kirk Cousins is a master of play action. Having an explosive threat like Dalvin Cook in the backfield makes the threat of a hand-off a real scare for the defense, allowing Kirk Cousins the chance to catch a defender off guard.
Considering the struggles the 49ers have faced against the run, they should be scared of Cook. San Francisco has allowed 13 rushing touchdowns on the season, which is the third-most in the league. Plus, they have allowed eight runs of 20 yards or more, which is the fifth-most.
Using play-action early and often will keep the aggressive 49ers defense off guard and open things up for Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and the other receiving options for the Vikings, especially if Cook can pick up a few first downs on the ground early in the contest.
So far, the 49ers’ wins have come against the Lions, Eagles, Bears, Rams, and Jaguars. Only Los Angeles has a winning record of those teams and Philly, Chicago, Detroit, and Jacksonville have combined for 11 wins at this point in the season.
Also, none of those teams have a particularly scary quarterback/running back combo to keep the 49ers honest. Thankfully, Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook should be ready for action this week.
Now that you know why the Minnesota Vikings are going to win on Sunday, be sure to watch the game to see the purple and gold get their record back over .500. Let’s hear your reasons Minnesota will win in the comments!